Dreams
by ilovenascar
Summary: AU. Spoilers for My Noon My Midnight and Time Frame. The first installment in my 'Dreams' series. CA, TN.
1. Australian Dreaming

Title: Dreams

Spoilers: My Noon My Midnight, Time Frames

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone in this story. If I did, this story would never have needed to be written.

* * *

He could feel the light go out, the warmth fade, and his world come crashing to a stop. "Claire," he called as if in a daze. "Claire, come back." He couldn't believe she was gone; Claire would never leave him.

Nick Ryan woke up to hear his brother talking in his sleep. They'd had an old-fashioned campout just for the heck of it, the ground at Wilgul. It had gone well, until his brother's nightmare. "Alex." He put his hands on his brother's shoulders. "Alex."

Alex could hear someone calling for him, but didn't want to acknowledge it, didn't want to let Claire go. When he felt himself being shaken, he woke up and was infinitely glad it had been a nightmare. "Nick?"

"What happened?" Nick asked, settling down again. "You were calling for Claire."

"Yeah. What time is it?"

"Two in the morning." He watched Alex get up and go out to his ute. "Don't go over there; you'll wake Charlotte up."

Alex hesitated, but knew he had to talk to Claire and he had a better chance of not waking Charlotte or Tess up if he went back 'home'.

* * *

Claire lay alone in her bed, unable to sleep without the muscular arms of her boyfriend wrapped around her waist, snoring behind her. She got up to check on Charlotte, who was sleeping peacefully, and went back to bed, turning the lamp on to read her newest book when she heard a ute pull up. She looked outside and smiled, pulling a pair of jeans on and going outside.

Alex saw her coming before he'd even turned the ute off. He got out, walkedHe got out, walked over to her, and kissed her, his arms around her. "What's all this? I thought you were with Nick." She asked, flattered, after kissing him back.

"I don't want to lose you."

"You won't." She stroked his cheek.

"Yeah, well, I had a nightmare." He paused. "I dreamed...There was this wreck when you were with BOM and Tess. They got out, but..." He looked into her blue eyes that, worried, looked into his.

"I'm not going anywhere, Alex." She kissed him lightly. "I promise."

"Marry me," he said, holding her hand.

"What?"

"Marry me, Claire, please."

She sighed. "Alex, this isn't a conversation for this early in the morning. C'mon, we'll go to bed."

"You think it's just about the nightmare." She didn't answer and he pulled out a ring, small, nothing ostentatious, just simple and beautiful. "I bought it when we were in the city. It's not just a phase, Claire. I want you to be my wife."

She stood there for a minute, not in shock, and not thinking over his answer, just pausing. "We still live at Drovers and I add Ryan on to the McLeod. I won't drop it."

He laughed, whirling her into the air, safe in his embrace. "Alex," she kissed him. "You'll wake up Tess and the baby." He put her back down on the ground, but kissed her, carrying her inside the house and up the stairs to their room, closing the door.

* * *

Tess snuck to Jack's office, quickly dialing, knowing Nick would be awake. "They did it," she said, not standing on ceremony. "You're going to be my brother-in-law."

Nick laughed. "Good on Alex. I thought he might."

Tess smiled happily. "So...I should let you go back to sleep?"

He moved his sleeping bag out of the floor. "No, I'm good if you are." It wasn't the first time they'd had one of their late night chats. "How are you feeling?"

"Happy. I haven't felt that in awhile."

"Good." He closed his eyes, listening to her talk. He couldn't believe how close he'd gotten to losing her and couldn't understand why Dave had left her. Tess had needed her friends, her family, more than ever, and he'd done all he could to be there for her, as he always had. He was in love with her, just as much as Alex was with Claire, only he never could work it out. Alex and Claire's engagement gave him hope though, as had the kiss Tess had given him.

"Nick..."

"Yeah, Tess?" Only the soft sound of her breathing told him she'd fallen asleep in the middle of her statement. He chuckled softly to himself, listening to the soothing sound for awhile before reluctantly hanging up.


	2. All In How You Look At It

As Claire held the satin ofher mother'swhite wedding dress in her hands, she remembered the last time she'd seen it, how depressed she'd gotten. She didn't love Peter anymore, Alex had long since helped her get over that, but the memories still haunted her. 

Tess touched her sister's shoulder lightly, trying to wake her from the daydream, believing it to be a happy one, but wanting to get back to work. "We need to make the guest list and start working on flowers and music."

The guest list was something else. Jack was gone so there was no one to give her away. Alex's father wasn't coming; Harry and Liz hadn't been in the same place since the bitter divorce. Although she'd thought it a good ideawhen she'd planned her first wedding, she wasn't sure about having a large crowd and was considering just the gang from Killarney, Wilgul, and, of course, Drover's.

She could hear Tess ramble on excitedly and her world started to close in. Meg heard Tess and went upstairs to check on the girls. Tess was rambling along as usual, but Claire looked like she was having troubles breathing. Meg gentlyled Tess away. "You need to stop for a little while," she said, not wanting to hurt Tess's feelings, but worried for Claire.

Tess opened her eyes and saw Claire's reaction and her far-off look. "Yeah." She went downstairs and Meg sat on the edge of the bed beside 'her daughter'.

"Claire?"

Claire looked at Meg, waking from her daymare. "Sorry. Where'd she go?"

"Downstairs for a little while." She studied Claire. "I know you're happy about getting married. Is it the wedding?"

"I don't know. I just keep thinking about before...the last time I did this. I don't love the nob anymore, but at the time I did. And I did all this stuff, the dress, looked at countless magazines..."

"Alex is not Peter. I know I don't need to tell you that. You and Alex are going to get married and live happily ever after." Claire looked at Meg. "If Terry and I can do it after all we've been through, I have no doubt for you and Alex." They'd been best friends for years and, even when Alex had dated Tess, everyone knew he'd be better with Claire.

"I need...I need to go out to my horses for a little while."

Meg nodded, knowing it would be the best thing for her. "Okay." She went downstairs and watched Claire go out to the horses she loved so much.

* * *

Nick came over for dinner as he'd started to do more frequently now that Tess was single again. Alex and Claire were still outside, discussing something, so he went in to find Tess. "What's wrong?" He asked, sitting beside his favorite blonde.

"I'm driving Claire crazy."

"So what's new?" He tried to get her to smile, but, for the first time, failed.

"I just get so happy for her that I get overly excited and ruin it."

"Nothing's ruined. I'm sure whatever you think you did wasn't that bad."

"She did all this before, with Peter, and I know she doesn't love him anymore, she and BOM don't even miss him, but it's just a reminder of how bad it was for her."

Nick kissed her temple, resting his head near hers. "Give her some time, Tess, and stop being so hard on yourself. Claire loves you and it's just something that she has to live through herself. You know when I first started riding again? Felt good to be in the saddle, going on with my life, but it hurt at first...a lot. Every wound has to heal." She looked at him, unsure if he was talking about his leg, their siblings, or them.

* * *

Alex found Claire stroking Phoenix's nose, whispering to her. He walked behind his fiancee, wrapping his arms gently around her, and resting his head on her shoulder. She turned around and held him, breathing in his nearness. "What's wrong?"

"I look at things the wrong way." He didn't pretend to understand that, but he held her close, softly rubbing her back.

Claire and Alex joined the rest and Meg, Nick, and Alex excused themselves soon after, carting Charlotte with them. "I'm sorry, Claire. I never realized what I was doing. I'd thought I learned better," Tess said, truly repentent.

"I was looking at it wrong. You remember when I was afraid to let go of Phoenix, didn't want to be there when she was born?" Tess nodded, remembering her fear for her sister. "Phoenix was the start of the breeding program with AB and the nob, but she was out of Blaze, my favorite mare, by Wildfire, Alex's favorite stallion." Tess nodded, seeing what her sister was trying to get at. "So, after we eat, whenever you're ready, I'd like to try it again."

"Absolutely." Tess hugged her sister as they joined the others.


	3. Wedding Preparations

Claire rode Blaze along the old familiar path. She'd left Charlotte at home with Tess in turn for accepting the 'girls night only' she knew would be full of movies and the dreaded makeover she'd promised Tess she could give for the wedding. 

As she rode, she thought about how much she loved the land and how grateful she was to have found someone who loved it as much as she did. Alex shared the same history with her. Not only did he work the land with her, going on the cattle drives and going after Blaze when she'd escaped, partners in the breeding/training business he and Tess had given her the courage to start after Peter, but they'd grown up here. There'd been parties, campouts, and, once, when Nick'd come home from the hospital and Harry had been especially hard on Alex, she'd found him here, by the river.

* * *

_A teenaged Claire rode her horse, already fully in love with Drovers. She'd finished her chores for the day and got an hour full of free time before Meg fixed supper. She spotted her best mate's horse and dismounted, searching until she saw Alex sitting down by the river, skipping stones._

_"Hey." She sat beside him, getting stones of her own._

_"Hey." The teenaged Alex, only a year older than her and already muscular and cute, looked over, just in time to get caught by her eyes. "Do you think...Do you think your dad would mind me staying?"_

_"Of course not." Claire frowned, sure her dad wouldn't. Their fathers were friends, as close as her dad got to any other man, and Alex had slept over on campouts many times before. She was surprised he was even asking. "You want me to stay?" He'd been_ _distant lately, moody, and she didn't really understand, just that his brother had been hurt really bad in the riding accident when they were away._

_"No." It came out harder than he'd intended and Claire looked at him. "Sorry."_

_"Alex..." She couldn't ask what was going on; she'd been taught all her life that personal things stayed personal. It was a line you didn't cross. "I'm sorry about Nick." That statement seemed safe enough._

_"I can't go home."_

_It was another statement teenaged Claire didn't understand. She knew Harry was rough on his sons, even hitting them from time to time, but she couldn't ever imagine not being able to go home, no matter what. She also knew not to say that to Alex at the moment._ _Jack and Harry had a lot of things in common, but the treatment of their children was different, except for of course this 'marry Nick' business. "Do you have anything to eat?" Alex shook his head. "I'll ask Meg for something." He reached over and held her hand, forming a bond she wouldn't understand until nearly twenty years later._

* * *

Claire rode on until she spotted the cabin and the graves. She dismounted and put flowers and a picture of Charlotte between her parents' graves. "It's me. I'm getting married tomorrow." She paused. "Dad, it's not Nick." She paused. "I'm actually marrying Alex. I'm sorry if you're disappointed, but I hope you're happy for me. I love him; I really do. I know about this plan you had for Drovers, Killarney, but...I'm getting married tomorrow, to someone I love. Charlotte's going to have the kind of Dad I did." She paused. "Mom, I hope you don't mind...I'm not going to wear your wedding dress tomorrow. I...I need a new start. I just...I wanted to come up here and tell you how much I loved you both...bring you an updated picture of Charlotte." She paused again. "Thank you both, for everything." She lay her hand on both graves before leaving.

* * *

Alex reluctantly handed Charlotte over to Tess. "Bye, sweetie." He kissed Charlotte's darkening hair, nearly the shade of her mother's already instead of the blonde she'd been at birth. "I'll see you in the morning." He gave her another kiss. "Give that one to your mom, help her to relax." Charlotte smiled and grabbed him so he gave her one last hug.

"Do I have to tell you two to be good?" Tess asked, really meaning Alex. "You're going to get married in the morning. Be here on time, sober."

"Well, thanks, Tess," Alex answered back. "I had planned to show up drunk. You don't think Claire would like that?"

"We're not going to a bar," Tess shot back.

Nick rolled his eyes. "There's nowhere else to go in Gungellan, Tess, we're not risking going into Fisher," Peter had moved to Fisher a month or so ago and Nick really didn't want the two to run into each other the night before his brother's wedding. "and there's not enough time to go to the city." They left and Nick looked at Alex. "And you can cool it."

"She didn't have to say it in front of Charlotte."

"Charlotte's too young to understand, Alex."

"Yeah, well, I did a lot of stuff I regret, I know, but I'd never do anything to hurt Claire." He shut the door to his brother's ute after getting in on the passenger side. "This wedding is important."

"The marriage is important. I don't think Claire's that attached to the wedding. She's not the type to get upset if something goes wrong, not that anything will."

"You mean like Tess?" Nick looked at him and Alex shut up.

* * *

Claire came back and picked up Charlotte, kissing her daughter's head. "Did she have any trouble when he left?"

Tess shook her head. "Have a good ride?"

"Yeah."

"Good. The boys just left. Liz has already arrived; she's staying at Wilgul tonight." She clapped her hands, excited, and Claire restrained herself from rolling her eyes, knowing Tess was excited for her. She just wish she could contain some of her energy. "I just wish Becky and Jodi had been able to get back."

"Yeah, well, my biggest worry is that my inlaws will start fighting again." Alex's parents had been through a messy divorce right around the time Charlotte was born and Alex's mother had never been especially fond of Tess either.

"Let's get started."

* * *

Nick and Alex found a place near the bar and pool table. "So what's wrong?" Nick asked, sensing something was amiss. Alex wasn't really enjoying being there as much as he used to.

"I love Charlotte...and I love Claire more than anyone else. But name one happily married couple in our families."

"I reckon Dad and Mom were."

"Were. Not anymore. And my other father ran around. That's not the kind of life I want to have. What right do either of us have to be a father, a husband?"

"You're already a father to Charlotte; Claire is in love with you. You're almost a husband already; the only thing missing is a piece of paper."

"She's my partner, my best mate, I love her more than anyone. What if that's not enough?"

"Alex, it is. You're better than our dad, or your other father, or Peter for that matter. Nothing's going to go wrong. You and Claire are going to have a long and happy marriage, a long and happy life, and raise at least one beautiful daughter."

Alex looked at Nick. "I'm sorry for what I said, about Tess."

"I don't know. I mean, some days, it feels like we're really making progress. Then some days we do the same thing we've been doing since she moved back home. And I can't push because she's recovering from the scare and from Dave. She's exasperating." Alex smiled. "I'm crazy about her."

* * *

Tess caught Claire before she went to take a shower. "Okay, Meg'll take care of Charlotte and she loaned us Terry's spa."

"You're really going all out for this."

"How often does my big sister get married?"

"Just once," Claire said quickly, looking at the new dress she'd found. Her mother's wedding dress had too many painful memories, so she and Tess had found another one, floor length, white satin with a lace overlay, long sleeves with a scoop neckline.

Tess put her hand on Claire's shoulder. "You okay?"

Claire looked at Tess. "Yeah."

The girls went down to where a Roy Orbison CD was playing with scented candles all around, and their freshly washed soft robes hanging within reach. "What's that smell?" The candles were different enough, but there was something else.

"Essential oils and bath salts, lavender and chamomile."

Claire rolled her eyes, but got in. Tess handed her a pillow covered with a trash bag and pillowcase. "No. I'll soak, I'll let the candles be, I'll even use these oils, but no pillow. I'm not getting a perfectly good pillow wet for a half an hour."

"Champagne?" Tess asked, ignoring her as Claire put her pillow out again. "You can't take a spa without bubbly."

"I know, I know, you tell me that every time." Claire accepted the glass.

"Are you excited about tomorrow?" Tess asked, after singing loudly along with 'Pretty Woman'.

"Yeah." Not as excited as you are, Claire wanted to add, but didn't dare. She knew Tess just wanted things to be perfect, but all Claire wanted was Alex.

"I still envy you. I mean, it wasn't as easy with Alex, but you're happy."

Claire decided to go for it. "Love's about charging, Tess. You can't spend your life thinking you'll get hurt like Ruth did. You'll end up alone and, as much as Alex and Charlotte and I love you, we're no substitute for a steady boyfriend, for a husband." Tess looked at her. "Nick is crazy about you."

"He moved in with Sally."

"Because you wouldn't move in with him. I'm not saying it was the best move, but he's in love with you. Besides, she's gone. It didn't work out. Why do you think that is?" Tess leaned back, thoughtful.

"I'm going to check on Charlotte and take a shower." Claire got out and Tess made the arrangements to turn the spa back to Terry the way she'd found it.

"Charlotte's ready for bed," Meg said, bringing Charlotte over so she could kiss Claire goodnight. "And Mommy's dripping."

"Sorry. I'll clean it up after the shower. Thanks for the use of the spa."

"Tess talk you to death?"

"She means well."

"Yeah."

Claire smiled. "You sure you don't want to celebrate with us?"

Meg grinned. "Not a chance. It's sister night. I'll be there tomorrow." She put Charlotte into bed before leaving for the night.

After a shower using the lavender shampoo, Tess got the toning and exfoliating lotions out. "Ow."

"A moment of pain, a lifetime of beauty."

"A day, if that."

"Three. You and Alex are taking off the 24th for a honeymoon and the family lunch," Claire hid her face, dreading it, "And the 25th is Charlotte's first Christmas." Claire smiled, emerging again, excited to spend her first Christmas as a wife and mother with the family at the place she loved.

Claire stayed still to let Tess give her a facial and then a manicure and pedicure before going to check on Charlotte while Tess did the same treatments to herself.

"Claire?" Tess asked, coming to the nursery where Claire was singing Alex's goodnight song to Charlotte.

"Shh." Claire tiptoed out. "What?"

"I know you're not really into this...Thank you for doing it."

Claire hugged her. "You're my sister."

"We don't have to do it anymore."

Claire smiled. "Thank you."

"But I want to watch movies still."

"That's a deal. Popcorn?"

"Butter, salt, all the bad stuff." Claire went downstairs to make it while Tess picked out the movies.

* * *

Alex was remembering when he and Claire had started their breeding/training business. His father had said he'd have one of the most successful horse operations in the country in five years; he and Claire had been successful in half the time. He remembered Nick and Tess up in arms about the fact that they'd sealed the deal on a handshake. Everything had been so simple, so easy, that they'd never needed anything else. He gave his word to her and her to him; that was the end of it.

* * *

Liz Ryan arrived, wearing the mother of the groom dress that matched Meg's mother of the bride one. She took a deep breath, steeling herself against Tess, who she still viewed as the ruination of her family and destroyer of Nick. "Where's my granddaughter?"

"Claire's got her upstairs," Meg said, politely, not crazy about sharing duties with Liz Ryan, but glad to be considered Claire's mother.

Liz went upstairs and smiled at Charlotte. "Ah, there she is." Claire smiled, letting Liz hold the little girl, already dressed in a dress that matched Claire's. "A white dress."

"We decided if we were getting married, we were marrying the whole family," Claire said. "Do you need anything?"

"I'm just going to read stories to my granddaughter." Claire nodded, going to her room.

Tess and Meg got dressed and then went upstairs to help Claire get dressed, get her hair done, and get her makeup on. "You know I never gave you a wedding present?" Tess said, holding a box.

"Tess, last night, helping with the wedding, that was enough." She hadn't wanted a shower, there wasn't any presents she needed and she wasn't that into girl time.

"Yeah, but...just open it already." Claire opened the box and smiled. "You don't seem like the heel type of person and I remembered when I first moved here..."

"Boots." They were white dress boots, perfect with her gown.Claire hugged her sister. "They're great, Tess. Thank you." It solved a big problem as Tess was right; she wasn't a heel person and she couldn't very well wear her work boots.

"Oh!" Meg suddenly remembered something, going to Jack's chest that Claire had never gotten around to opening but was still in the room. "Here. Your dad wanted you to have it." She handed Claire a pouch, a letter, and a Bible.

The sisters sat down on the bed next to each other, reading the letter. When they finished, both girls had tears in their eyes. Claire opened the pouch and took out a beautiful necklace that was several generations old. "The necklace was Mom's," Claire told Meg. "And the bible was the one he and Mom used during their wedding."

"Okay, let's go through the traditions. A ritual bath for purification, your wedding dress, I can't believe you won't wear a veil."

"Alex knows what I look like. And I don't like the tradition."

"You don't have a trousseau."

"We're staying at Drover's. I don't need a suitcase for a honeymoon."

"Something old is the necklace and Bible, something new is your dress and boots, something blue is our dresses, borrowed...We'll skip that for now. Flowers are already set out, your bouquet is here," she touched the bouquet of tulips twice as big as her own, "I guess that's it for now. Borrowed..."

"I've got something," Liz said from the doorway. She took out a lace handkerchief. "I carried it at my wedding, my mother and grandmother carried it at theirs. I never had a daughter, but I don't see any reason my daughter-in-law can't carry it."

"It's beautiful," Tess said.

Claire looked at Liz. "Thank you."

Harry rang Drover's and Tess picked up. "Tess."

"Tess, are the boys already over there?"

Tess shook her head. "No. Liz was going to be at Wilgul, so they were going to get dressed at Kilarney. Why?"

"Well, that's what I thought...but they never showed up."

Tess looked at her sister. "You're sure they're not at Wilgul?"

"I rang there too, no answer." Tess shut her eyes. Alex wouldn't do this to her sister, not today, and, even if he had, where was Nick? "They went to Gungellan last night, right?"

Tess nodded. "Yeah."

"I'll have people be on the lookout there for them, one of my men take the road from here to Gungellan, and I'm on my way over." Tess hung up.

Liz talked to Claire while Meg walked over to Tess. "What?"

"Alex and Nick are missing."

"He wouldn't do this to her. He wouldn't stand her up. There has to be a logical explanation."

"Harry's having someone look in Gungellan, a man go on the road into Gungellan, and then he's coming here."

"What are we going to tell Claire?"

"Nothing until we know for sure."

Meg nodded. "Alex wouldn't do this. It's more..." Peter, she started to say, but looked at Tess, finding her friend had the same thoughts. "He wouldn't."

"He told Nick once he'd do anything, give up anything, to get Claire back. He thought it was just lies like everything else Peter said, but what if it's not? I mean, he's living in Fisher. It's not that hard to get to Gungellan. Claire and Alex are taking three days off work; everyone knows they're getting married. He could have heard it somewhere..."

"Tess, don't make yourself paranoid."

"Something had to have happened."

"A flat tire maybe?"

"They would have walked to borrow someone's phone."

"Got drunk and overslept?"

"Nick wouldn't." Meg stood by Tess, watching Claire, not knowing what to do or say for either of them.


	4. Wedding of McLeod's

The last chapter. What can I say? MD was especially good in the US last night. Hope you enjoy, thanks for your feedback, and I should start on another one soon. Any ideas? ILN

P.S.: The charge of the wedding is not mine, obviously; it's 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8a. The vows aren't mine either; they're from Alex and Claire's 'contract' when they started the horse program (Brave J). I loved them and I just had to 'borrow' them. All right, on with the show.

* * *

Alex woke up, his chest hurting, glass all over, enough blood to start the flashbacks of the bull again. "Nick! Nick!" He unbuckled his seatbelt and managed to go over to where his brother was laying before passing out from the heat and the pain.

* * *

Claire was nervous when the guests got there and there wasn't a sign of the groom or best man. Tess kept exchanging worried and secretive looks with Meg and Harry had been downstairs on the phone the whole time since he'd arrived. "What? What is it?"

Tess knew she couldn't put it off any longer. "Claire...the boys are missing."

"What?" She looked at her sister, not believing her at first. "Tess..."

"Harry's trying to find them. Liz doesn't know."

Claire ran out to the stables and Tess looked at Meg. "She wouldn't. Not in that dress."

"Go. I'll keep an eye on Charlotte and come get you if there's any word." Tess nodded, getting a blanket to sit on top of in the ute, not wanting to take any chances, and driving after her sister.

She found her at the cabin, her head in her lap, sobbing. "Shh." Tess sat beside her sister, rubbing her back. "There's an explanation. He's coming. He's coming." She paused, trying to think of something to make her feel better. "I heard once, the worse the wedding, the better the marriage."

"I'm not worried about the wedding, Tess."

"I know. They'll find him. He's okay." She held her sister, rubbing her back again.

* * *

Harry paced, not able to think of anyone else to call. "I'm going out to look for them," he said to Liz, since Meg wasout talking to the guests and trying to take their minds off the fact that there was no wedding party present.

She nodded. "I'll take care of Charlotte, stay by the phone."

He left, driving the same road his man had. He stopped abruptly, seeing his sons stretched out in the road, thanking whoever was listening that they hadn't been run over. The red ute was a mangled mess into the tree, but he could move the boys to his ute and he drove them to Drover's, knowing the doctor could come to them.

* * *

Tess and Claire looked up as Meg came riding up, having changed into regular clothes. "They found the boys. They mangled the ute. They're not in serious condition, but we cancelled the wedding. The doctor's on his way. Alex is in the bedroom and, Tess, Nick's in yours. Take the ute, I'll bring Phoenix back." Tess nodded as the girls piled into the ute, Meg leading Phoenix back.

Claire held Charlotte, Tess sitting beside them. Meg and Terry waited together as Harry paced and Liz sat there helplessly. The doctor finally came back out. "Nick's head got cracked by the steering wheel, but he's okay. Alex's chest is going to hurt; he's got a bruised rib from the seatbelt and airbag. Both of them are stable and I think the best thing for both of them would be to stay here."

"What about all the blood?" Harry asked.

"They're cut up pretty good; the glass was in a few of the cuts, but I got it out."

"Are they awake?" Liz asked quietly.

He nodded. "But I'm not sure how long. I'm sorry about the wedding, Claire." He talked to Harry privately.

"Do you want us to take Charlotte?" Meg asked.

Claire shook her head. "Alex will want to see her too. I can do both." She paused. "Thank you though."

She nodded. "I'll clean up outside then. Call if you need us." She hugged Claire and then Tess, going outside with Terry.

Liz went to Nick first, leaving Tess out cold, and Claire carried Charlotte upstairs to the bedroom. "You look beautiful," Alex told her as soon as she came inside. "You both do."

"I didn't have time or really even think about changing."

"Good." She sat on the bed and he kissed her lips, Charlotte's head. "I'm so sorry, Claire."

She put her finger to his lips and kissed him again. "It's okay. We can get married anytime."

"As soon as I don't feel like I got hit by a tree."

"Actually, you and Nick hit the tree, from what I understand."

"Nick." He paused. "How's Nick?"

"He's good. He had a concucssion; that's why he passed out. You both had glass in your cuts, but you have a bruised rib from the seatbelt and airbag."

He patted her spot on the bed. "Come here." She lay beside him, Charlotte in the middle, and he was able to close his eyes, finally letting the medicine take effect.

* * *

Tess saw the bandage on Nick's head and struggled not to cry. "How's Alex?" Nick asked first.

"Bruised ribs, some cuts. You were both really lucky. Harry saw the ute..." She choked up.

"Come here, chilly woman." He teased, trying to get her not to cry.

She smiled, walking to him, as he held her. "You okay?" He kissed her waves of curls.

"Yeah."

"Claire? Charlotte?"

"Upstairs with Alex. She's still wearing her wedding dress." She looked down at her blue maid of honor dress. "I guess weall forgot to change."

"Don't. You look amazing." He kissed her forehead.

"Alex isn't supposed to see her in her dress."

"Tess, I'm not sure it'll make that much of a difference now. How much worse could their luck be?" Tess started sobbing and Nick took her in his arms. "I'm sorry, Tess."

She shook her head. "You scared me so much, Nick. I couldn't figure out where you were, and...then when Meg said you'd been in an accident..."

He held her, his cheek in her blonde hair, rubbing her back. "I love you, Tess."

She thought about what her sister had told her the evening before. "I love you, Nick." He looked at her and kissed her forehead.

* * *

Around two hours later, Liz went to Nick's room, Harry went to Alex's. Nick and Tess were both asleep, Tess's head on top of his shoulder, Nick's head on top of hers. Claire was asleep, her cheek on Alex's arm, and Alex opened his eyes when his dad came in. "How are you?" Harry asked.

"Sore. How's Mom?"

"Shaken, but not as bad as last time."

He nodded and Harry picked up his granddaughter. "How's Nick? Claire said he hit his head."

Harry nodded. "He had a concussion, but you're both okay." There was a different tone in his father's voice, relief that his sons had escaped relatively unharmed, both of them. "Tess is with him and your mother."

"I ruined the wedding." He looked over at Claire, still in her dress.

"No one's worried about that." Alex nodded and Harry stood there until his son fell back to sleep, taking his granddaughter to her room and reading her a story.

* * *

Tess appeared the next morning, dressed into regular clothes, and saw her sister had changed as well, to a pair of jeans and her tank. "How's Nick look?" Claire asked softly.

"He's pretty guilty about what happened, apparently he was driving, but they're both going to be okay." Claire nodded. "Meg's cooking breakfast for everyone."

Claire shook her head. "I'm not hungry. He's not been awake for awhile; the medicine makes him tired."

Tess nodded, hugging her sister. "I'll bring you up something when he's awake." She left.

"What? No hug for the groom?" Alex asked without opening his eyes.

"You'll be a groom later," Claire said, kissing his forehead as he opened his eyes.

"You missed." He leaned up to kiss her lips, brushing his hand against her cheek. "You okay?" She nodded. "Claire, I'm so sorry about the wedding."

"What if we get married tomorrow? Open presents, have family lunch, get married, and slip down to the river while Charlotte's taking a nap."

"Perfect." They shook on it and he pulled her down to lay beside him again. She smiled, nestling her head against his arm.

* * *

They started Christmas late, giving Alex and Nick a little more time to recover. The tree was in the living room, already decorated, and Meg had a fresh plate of cookies and lemonade. Liz and Harry were back and, of course, Terry was there. Claire got Alex settled on the couch, going back up to bring Charlotte down. Nick and Tess came out together, Nick's arm around her. They exchanged cards and presents, opening the letters and packages from Becky and Jodi.

They had an outside barbecue, hamburger made from a calf from Drover's, chips, and cold drinks, nothing heavy or fancy. Tess had been shocked her first Christmas as the lack of tradition, but Claire hadn't had a 'traditional' Christmas since Tess and Ruth had left. The chocolate wedding cake with layers of fudgy icing got partially ate and the homemade chocolate ice cream went fast.

The girls cleaned up and went back upstairs. Claire wore the denim shirt and jeans that were her trademark, making the concession of wearing the boots Tess had given her. Tess wore a sundress and Charlotte wore one of her new outfits. Meg and Liz dressed in their normal clothes, as did Harry. Nick wore the green shirt Tess liked so much and Alex wore a denim outfit that matched Claire's.

The officiant arrived and Tess carried Charlotte downstairs, to where the others were. Nick came up and smiled. "Leave it to you and my brother to marry in denim."

"I'm wearing the boots Tess gave me." She looked at the wedding dress. "And I'll clean that; Charlotte can have a choice when she's ready." She paused. "Thank you for doing this."

"It's my pleasure." He extended his arm and walked her down the stairs, outside, and to Alex and the others. Claire held her bouquet, Tess had given hers to Charlotte.

The officiant read the same words that had been read at Claire's parents wedding from the Bible Jack had hidden for her. "Love is patient, love is kind. it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." Tess held Nick's hand as they stood together, Charlotte between them.

"Do you, Alex Ryan, take Claire McLeod to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, for as long as you both shall live?"

Alex looked at Claire, holding her hand. "I do." She smiled at him.

"Do you, Claire McLeod, take Alex Ryan to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, for as long as you both shall live?"

Claire looked at Alex, still smiling. "I do." He smiled back at her.

"Who blesses this wedding?"

Instead of Meg and Terry or even Liz and Harry, Tess and Nick spoke up. "We do." Claire smiled at them before turning back to Alex.

Alex looked at Claire. "You're not going to pull a pin on me, are you Claire?"

"No. Are you?"

"Not a chance."

They shook hands. "So we're in this together?"

He smiled. "You bet."

Tess, Nick, and Meg exchanged smiles at their choice of vows while the rest remained puzzled.

Claire and Alex exchanged rings and Alex gave Claire a small necklace Charlotte could wear when she was old enough. "I now pronounce you husband and wife." As they kissed, they barely heard the cheers and applause coming from their family.

They broke the kiss and Alex held Charlotte, smiling, as Claire kissed her forehead. Nick and Tess retreated to the barn, coming back with Blaze and Alex's horse.

"Be good," Claire whispered, reluctantly giving Charlotte back over to Liz.

Tess hugged Claire and then Alex, then Claire again. "Have fun."

"You'll come get us if she needs us?" It was the first time she'd been out of earshot of Charlotte since she was born.

Alex put his head on Claire's kissing into her hair. "Tess, Meg, and Mom can manage." She nodded, kissing Charlotte again before riding off down to the river.

She spread out the blanket on a spot that was less likely to attract snakes. "Some wedding, huh?"

Alex looked at her. "You liked it?"

"Yeah." She paused. "You didn't?"

"Of course I did, but it was a bloke's wedding. Short and simple. With all the plans you had, I just..."

"When we have our next baby, don't let Tess plan the shower or the room, okay?"

He laughed. "Okay." He kissed her. "So when can we start on that?"

"On having our next baby?" He nodded. "Right now's good." He laughed, kissing her again.


End file.
